How to prepare for healthy pregnancy after miscarriage?

‘Can I conceive again?’ and ‘do I need treatment for infertility?’ are the common questions after miscarriage but according to health experts, a miscarriage is more common than we think yet many women who miscarried once, fear that they will lose their later pregnancies, too however, a single miscarriage doesn’t mean that a woman cannot carry a pregnancy again. One can think it is difficult to become pregnant Or continue the pregnancy post miscarriage but it’s is not true always.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Arati Adhe Rojekar, Consultant – Gynaecology and IVF at PD Hinduja Hospital and MRC in Mumbai, revealed, “Recurrence occurs in 20% of cases but that is also not always seen. It also depends on the cause of the miscarriage and duration of pregnancy. 50% of miscarriage which happen in first three months of pregnancy are due to chromosomal abnormalities, which are spontaneous and which mostly happen by chance at the time of division of cells and are non-recurrent in many cases but if mother or father are suffering from any comorbidities like diabetes hypertension or any other systematic diseases or if they are carrying any chromosomal abnormalities, then this can be the recurrent cause of miscarriage.”

She advised, “In case of early pregnancy loss one can conceive in immediate next cycle but usually it is advisable to avoid intercourse at least for two months after miscarriage. If more than one miscarriage has happened or you are unable to conceive in the next cycles then you really need to get evaluated for hormonal profile, sonography of your uterus and chromosomal analysis. Also husband’s semen analysis is required. You can definitely conceive with doctors advice even after miscarriage. Evidence of miscarriage never nullifies the chance of normal healthy future pregnancies.”

According to Dr Shilpi Sachdev, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital in New Delhi’s Moti Nagar, to plan a healthy pregnancy here are some things a woman must consider:

• After miscarriage, don’t plan the next pregnancy in a hurry. Waiting for one menstrual cycle to 3 months is often advisable.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle by taking care of yourself physically and mentally. A good lifestyle change is important to have a healthy pregnancy. Take a balanced diet that includes leafy vegetables, pulses, fruits and iron-rich foods that supply the body with necessary nutrients.
• Also, if you have diabetes, it is highly advised to control your blood sugar levels for a few months and keep them in check before trying for another pregnancy because diabetes can also lead to birth defects and other adverse effects, including miscarriage.